Ironing machine



'.l. w.' RACKLYE'F'T- 2,311,250

IRONING MACHINE Filed Nov.v 19, 195e 4 sheets-sheet 1 eft Per.` 16, 1943.

Feb. 16, 1943. w. AKL/E IRONING MACHINE .Fi1ed Nov. 19, 193e 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Jahn nf. Rada BY Feb. 16, 1943. J. w. RAcKLYx-:FT

IRONING vMACHINE Filed NOV. 19, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Y Maf R Tv o mw n Nn A lrm JY B Feb. 16, 1943.

J. w. RACKLYEF-r IRONING MACHINE Filed Nov. 19,y 1936 4.sheets'srieet 4 INVENTOR `gfohim 15V; BY

Patented Feb. 16, 1943 UNETE S''E'ES rangs IRONING MACHINE Application November 19, 1936, Serial No. 111,695

20 Claims.

This invention relates to ironing machines and it constitutes a continuation-impart of my copending application Serial No. 735,040, which was led on July 13, 1934 and issued as Patent No. 2,087,447, July 20, 1937, for Ironing machine mechanism.

The present invention has for its objects the provision of an improved form of ironer roll drive, in which the driving gears of the roll drive are adapted to be yieldingly shifted into and out of meshing engagement with each other, :special means being provided to insure the quiet and positive engagement of the roll driving gears; the provision of a simple and compact ironer roll driving mechanism; including driving gears located internally of the ironer roll; the provision of a power-operated ironing machine having a minimum number of clutches; and the provision of an ironer roll drive as described, in combination with an ironer of the type in which either the roll or the shoe is the shiftable member and in which the ironer roll drive is automatically connected to drive the roll when the roll and shoe are shifted to an operative pressing position and automatically disconnected when the roll and shoe are separated one from the other.

These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent and better understood after consideration has been given to the following detailed description of the invention taken in connection with the drawings which show, merely by way of illustration, structure adapted for carrying out the objects of the invention.

Stated in general terms, the invention relates to an ironing machine employing a padded roll and a heated shoe and power means for effecting both the rotation of the roll and theshifting of the roll into and out of pressing contact with the heated ironer shoe. Easily operable means in the form of coil spring clutches, are provided for controlling the shifting of the roll into and out of pressing contact with the heated shoe and for permitting the machine to be used for pressing operations at which times the rotation ofv the roll is prevented. Y

Mechanism in the form of an internal gear carried inside the roll and a driving pinion adapted for meshing engagement therewith, are provided for automatically effecting the rotation of the roll when it is moved into pressing contact with the heated shoe, the roll drive being automatically disconnected through disengagement of the gears when the roll is moved out of ed inside the roll so that the meshing engagement of the internal gear and this pinion may be eiected in a quiet and positive manner when the roll is moved into contact with the shoe.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevational view of an ironing machine showing one form of the invention; Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view, taken on line 2 2, Figure 1; Figure 3 is an enlarged end view of the roll and shoe taken on line 3 3, Figure 1, with certain of the parts broken away to illustrate the mechanism inside the roll at one end thereof; Figure 4is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 4 4, Figure 1,showing the roll driving gears in their operative or roll-driving position; Figure 5 is an enlarged detail view of the roll-'driving gears when in their inoperative or separated position; Figure 6 is a detail sectional view taken on line 6 6, Figure 5; Figure 7 is a side elevational view of an ironing machine, illustrating a modication of the invention; Figures 8 and 9 are enlarged detail sectional views taken on lines 8 8 and 9 9 of Figure 7, the roll supporting member 4l being omitted from Fig. 9 for clarity; Figure 10 is a detail view corresponding in section to Figure 8 and illustrating a modied form of mounting for the roll driving pinion; Figure 11 is a sectional view taken on line Il l i, Figure Figure 12 is a View corresponding in section to Figures 8 and 10, illustrating yet another modication of the mounting for the roll driving pinion; Figure 13 is a sectional View taken on line l3-I3, Figure 12; Figure 14 is a side elevational View of an ironing machine, illustrating a further modification of the invention; Figure 15 is a sectional View taken on line l5-l5, Figure 16; Figure 16 is an enlarged detail sectional View taken on line it-E6, Figure 15; Figure 17 is a side elevational View, cf an ironing machine illustrating a further modification of the invention; Figure 18 is an enlarged end elevational View of the machine shown in Figure 17, with portions of the machine broken away and shown in section; Figure 19 is a sectional View taken on line I9-l9, Figure 18; VFigure 20 is a detail View of the roll drive showing the roll-driving gears in disengaged position; and Figure 21 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 2l 2l, Figure 18.

The ironing machine shown in Figure 1, which illustrates one form of therinvention, comprises a supporting struct-ure in the form of a base member I and supporting legs 2 attached to the base member. A hollow gear case 3 is carried on top of the base member at one end thereof. The gear case constitutes a standard for supporting an ironer roll 4 solely from one end thereof. The roll 4 is provided with suitable padding 4a. A bracket 5 is located intermediate the ends of the base member and it provides a support for an arm 6. An ironer shoe 'I is secured to and supported from the upper end of the arm 6. The shoe 'I is heated by means of a heating element 1a, which maybe in the form of an electrical resistor and at the rear of the shoe a cover Tb `is provided -for the heating element.

The shoe supporting arm 6 is mounted .upon .a

shaft (not shown) housed within a tube 8 which rests at one end on the bracket-5 Yand at ,its other end the tube is received in a hollowlooss VI l] which forms a part of the gear case 3. Suitable means, such as shown in my earlier referred to application, may be provided for manually shifting .the shoe toward and away from lthe roll and for e'f- Vfecting yielding pressing contactbetweenthe roll and :the shoe when theseironing elements are vin .pressing contact-with each other.

electric motor I1I mounted inside the vgear case 3 is 4provided for :driving the ironer. .The armature shaft of l,the motor I I :isiprovidedwith @a -pulley I2 for driving a -b.e`lt.;. l 3which connects the motor to the Vpulley I4 of Lthe-ironer mechanism. The -pulley AI4 -is :xedto a-shaft 'I5 and secured thereon by means of va stud 14a..V The shaft I5 iis provided with a Vworm 15a which meshes with :and drives a `worm gear lli. rThe worm gear I6 isjmounted upona hub Ita which extends toeither side of Jthe worm gear. The

hub I-a is journaled on afbeari-ngsleeve 24a carried by the gear case 100552011. The aXial'ly'eX- .tending portions vof the hub are surrounded, lone 'by a partei -the clutch spring vIFI and the :other by a part-of the clutchspringI-S.

' The `clutch spring I'I vis if'astened at .one end to ashaft coaxial -with the hub 46a and it is journaledinside the bearing sleeveEa. Oneend `of the clutch spr-ing I8 is ,fastened 'to an eccen- .tric member 27| which iis also 4journaled -on the sleeve 20a. The eccentric 2-I is received in vone end of a connect-ing linkgcr rod 22, whichin-turn .is pivotal-ly connected at itsother vend -to Va .crank arm 2i3 fixed to a rocker shaft A24. A pinion 25, as is-shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6, is xed to the end-of theshaft 20 remote from the-clutch spring i adapted fto -be moved linto and out of the path of the end 28 of the spring `II to .effect the disengagement and engagement .of the clutch spring Ir'I .with respect -to :the hub Ilia .of the worm gear `for the purpose of `disconnecting and connecting the EWorm gear with respect tothe shaft 20 and -its pinion 25.

A second manually operable clutch `control member 30 is Yprovided for controlling the operationef Athe clutch which is formed in part by the spring t8. Thecontrol member 3i! has a pair of associated stop arms 3| and 32 which are .adapted to `be moved into and out of the path of the 4end 33 of the kspring I3 and in this manner effect the disconnection and` connection of the clutch which is formed by the spring I8 and a part of the worm gear hub Ita. The clutch just .described controls the operation of the eccentric 2| and `its connecting link 422 and in this manner controls the oscillation of the -shaft 24 and its crank arm 23 to which the link 22 is connected.

The clutch which is formed by the spring I8 is normally in a disengaged position, and when the control member 30 is manipulated, the clutch spring I8 is released for effecting the engagement of the clutch which is maintained through onehalf revolution of the eccentric 2 I, whereupon the end 33 of the clutch spring I8 is engaged by one or the other of the arms 3| -or 32 and in this manner a one-half revolution clutch is provided forrthe purpose of rotating the eccentric 2I in steps of one hundred and eighty degrees. 'I'he shaft 24 is thus oscillated to one or the other of vits 'limiting positions, for the purpose of moving the ironer elements into and out of pressing con- ;tact witheach other as will be described further presently.

v'The gear housing 3 is provided with a hollow 'boss 3,5, and a ,tubular member 36 is carried by the yboss for the purpose of supporting the roll 4 solely from one end thereof. The outer end of :the tube S35 is provided with a bracket 3'! for rotatably receivingand'supporting the remote end .of the oscillatable vshaft .24. A crank arm 38 is secured to the end of the shaft 24 and this arm .is .provided-with a :bearing -40 for rotatably sup porting the end of the roll remote from the gear case.

The vother end of the roll-islrotatably mounted upon a bearing member 4I carried by an eccen- .trically located Abracket 42 fixed to the oscillatable shaft 24 at a point adjacent to the gear case 3. In View of 'the foregoing, it is apparent that when the shaft 24 is oscillated, the bearings 4i! and .4I will be oscillated with it, and in this manner @the roll may be shifted into andout of .pressing contact with the ironer shoe, as is illustrated .inFigures .3 ,and 4.

An internal ring gear 4.3 is located inside the roll at the end thereof next to the gear case 3. Thisgear is fixed to the roll and itis adapted for meshing engagement with a driving pinion `Vgear 44, The pinion gear 44 is rotatably mounted .upon .a vstub shaft 45 carried by a .U-shaped .bracket 46 which in turn is rotatably carried by the shaft 20 to which the gear .25 is xed. A stop 45a which contacts with the 'bearing 4I is provided to prevent the pinion gear 44 from digging into the internal gear 43 and to limit the teeth -of the gear and pinion to .pitch line engagement when these gears are moved into mesh with each other.

By means of the aforesaid structure, the gears -25 .and 44 are maintained at all times in mesh with each other. A coil spring 41, having one end in contact with the tube 36 and its other end in .Contact with the .stub shaft 45, provides .a means for urging the .pinion gear 44 toward the internal gear 43 and to .the position illus trated in Figure 5 when the roll and shoe are out .of engagement with each other.

The U-shaped member 46 has a projecting part 48 which engages with the boss `.'55 to pro- -vide a stop for the shifting movement of the `gear 44 in one direction. The yielding support .of .the pinion 44 which is provided by the U-shaped bracket 45 and the spring 47 serves to facilitate and insure quiet meshing engagement between the internal gear 43 and the pinion 44. The axis of the bodily movement or shifting of the pinion 44 is arranged so that the line of reaction between the pinion 44 and thevgear 43 will .be `in a direction to maintain these gears in proper mesh with each other and to obviate the `possibility of the gears jumping out of mesh when lunder load.

shaft 26 to a shaft 5l.

The reaction of the gears 43 and 44 has a slight tendency to shift the top of the U-shaped member to the right, as viewed in Figure by reason of the location of the pivotal support of the bracket 46 to one side of the reaction line of the gears and in this manner proper meshing engagement of the pinion 44 and the gear 43 are maintained at all times when the gears are in mesh with each other. The stop 48 is arranged to maintain the gears 43 and 44 out of mesh when the roll 4 is moved out of contact with the shoe.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figures 7 to 9, there is provided a base I, supporting legs 2, a gear case 3, ironer roll 4, a bracket 5, a support arm 6, a shoe l and a tube 8 similar to those previously described in connection with Figure 1.

Mechanism under control of the manually operable members 2B and 30 is housed Within the gear case 3. The mechanism and the control means provided therefor are substantially the same as the corresponding structure previously described. The roll 4 is supported from a tube 36 by means of elements 31, 38, 4|] and 4I, similar to the elements of like number which were previously described.

In the latter form of the invention, the roll drive is slightly different in that the internal gear 43 is located nearer t0 the midpoint of the roll and it is driven through the action of a single pinion gear instead of a pair of gears, as in the case of the device shown in Figure 1. At its outer end, the driving shaft is provided with a universal joint indicated generally by the numeral 50 for the purpose of connecting the At its other end, the shaft 5| is connected by means of a universal joint 52 to a short-shaft 53 which is rotatably J'Ournaled in a bracket 54 pivotally mounted on the oscillatable shaft 24.

A pinion 55 is fixed to rotate with the shaft 53. The bracket 54 is apertured at 56 fer the accommodation of the roll supporting tube 36 and one of the ends of the aperture 56 provides a stop for limiting the movement of the bracket member about the axis of the shaft 24 in one direction. A spring 5'! is provided for urging the bracket 54 and the pinion 55 which it carries in a direction toward the internal gear 43 of the roll.

In view of the foregoing, it is apparent that when the roll is shifted into contact with the shoe, the internal gear 43 will move into meshing engagement with the pinion 55 and in this manner the roll is rotated. In the event that the teeth of the gears 43 and 55 do notl line up and intermesh at the time of initial contact, the spring 51 will permit the gear 55 to shift with the gear 43 until meshing of the teeth of these gears is effected.

The pinion supporting bracket 54 is mounted for movement on an axis a slight distance to one side of the line of the reaction forces between the gears 43 and 55, so that the stated reaction will tend to hold the gears 43 and 55 in mesh with each other. When the roll 4 is moved away from the shoe, the apertured portion 56 cf the bracket 54 will contact with the tube 36 and thus hold the pinion 55 out of mesh with the gear 43.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figures 10 and 11, a slightly different form of mounting is provided for the roll driving pinion 55. This pinion is connected to the driving shaft 5l through the interconnection of a universal joint 52 and a short shaft 53, similar to those described in connection with the modification shown in Figures 7 to 9.

The short shaft 53 is journaled in a bearing member 6| formed in the outer end of a pin 62 which is slidably mounted in a suitable aperture extending cross-wise of the tube 36. A stud 63 which secures a washer 64 on the pin 62 may be provided to limit the movement of the pin in one direction. The pin 62 may be provided with a downwardly extending arm 65 having a bifurcated end 66 for receiving the oscillatable shaft 24 to provide a supplemental guide and support means for the pin.

A spring 67 is provided for moving the mount-V ing o-f the pinion in a direction radially outwardly of the axis of the roll, so that when the roll is moved into contact with the shoe, the internal gear 43 is moved into meshing engagement with the pinion 55 in a manner similar to that previously indicated in connection with the earlier Vdescribed forms of the invention. When the roll is moved away from the shoe, the washer 64 engages with the roll supporting tube to hold the pinion 55 out of mesh with the internal gear 43.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figures 12 and 13, the pinion 55 and its shaft 53 are rotatably carried by a bracket 10 which is freely journaled on the oscillatable shaft 24. The position of the shaft 24 is slightly shifted to the right, as viewed in Figure 12, from the position it occupies in the previously described forms of the invention, thu's requiring a slight modification of the gear case 3 and the' link 22. The weight of the gear 55 and the elements associated therewith is suflicient to cause the gear and its bracket to move in a direction toward the internal gear 43 of the roll, and the present construction does not require the use of a spring for this purpose, although a spring may be used if desired.

When the roll is moved toward the shoe, the internal gear 43 moves into meshing engagementv with the driving pinion 55 and when thev roll is moved away from the shoe, the internal gear 43 moves out of mesh with the pinion 55. The bracket 'ill is provided with a stop arm 'H for contact with the tube 36 for the purpose of holding the pinion 55 out of engagement with the internal gear 43 when the roll occupies its retracted position with respect to the ironer shoe.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figures 14 to 16, there is provided a base I having Vstructions earlier described in that the roll 4 is legs 2, a gear case 3, a roll 4, a bracket 5, a shoesupporting arm 6, a shoe 1 and a tube 3, similar to those first described, and similar operating mechanism under control of the manually operated members 26 and 36 is located Within the gear case 3.

Ihe present construction differs from the consupported from a point intermediate its ends by means of a pair of bearing members 'i2 and 13 which are rotatably carried on a shaft 14. The

Vshaft '.'4 is fixed to the upper end of a crank arm l5 which is in turn fixed to an oscillatable shaft 24a; similar to the shaft 24 previously described -tube 36a and the outer end of this tube provides a ybearing for supporting the 'outer end of the shaft 24a. In this form of construction, the roll driving Ypinion 55 is carried by a U-shaped bracket 'i6 which is rotatably journaled upon the tube 36a. II'he bracket 16 is slotted at 'II for receiving a pin 'I8 which is .xed to the tube 36a. The slot and the pinare provided for the purpose of limiting `the movement of the U-shaped bracket 16.

In view of what has been said in connection with the earlier forms of the invention, it is apparent that when the roll 4 is moved into contact with the shoe, the internal gear 43 will move into meshing engagement with the pinion 55 which is connected to the shaft 2U by means of the couplings '59 and 52 `and the shaft 5|. In the event that the teeth of the gear and pinion do not line up properly, the pinion is free to move with the gear until the gear teeth do line up, whereupon the force of reaction between the gears insures the maintaining of proper meshing engagement between the pinion 55 and the internal gear 43 in the manner described in connection with the form of the invention illustrated in Figures 12 and 13.

'When the roll is shifted away from the shoe, the stop which is provid-ed by the pin "I3 and the slot TI'I of the U-shaped bracket 'I5 serves to hold the pinion 55 out of meshing engagement with the internal gear 43, as in the case of the yform of the invention illustrated in Figures 12 and 13. A spring similar to the one shown in Figures `5 and 6 might be employed to urge the pinion 55 toward the internal gear 43 if desired.

The changing of the position of the shaft roll supporting tube 36a from the position of the corresponding tube 35, previously described, will necessitate :a slight modiiication of the gear case 3 and a relocation of the tube supporting boss, as will be understood by anyone skilled in the art to which this invention relates.

In the various forms of the invention just described wherein the reaction of the gears tends to 4maintain them in mesh with each other, it

is preferred to mount the driving pinion for bodily movement about an axis slightly to one side of the line of reaction between the roll driving pinion and the internal gear of the roll so that these gears will be maintained in mesh without, however, causing undue pressure on the teeth of the gears by reason of the manner in which they are mounted.

In mostl of the forms of the invention shown herein, the force of gravity may be relied upon to provide for the yielding intermeshing engagement between the internal gear of the roll and its driving pinion and, if desired, a spring may be used with any of the diierent modifications to further assure that the contemplated bodily movement of the ironer roll driving pinion will take place.

In all of the ironers disclosed herein, theironer roll rotates in a clockwise direction, as viewed from the end of the roll adjacent to the gear case, so that the articles to be ironed may be placed up on top ci' the roll and thus fed directly to the ironer shoe.

Due to the use of the two roll driving pinions 25 and 44, in the form of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 6, it is necessary to rotate the worm gear IS in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the roll in order to vrotate the roll in the desired direction.

'The form of the invention illustrated in Fgure .17 comprises a base I, supporting legs 2, a gear case 3a, an ir-oner roll 4, a bracket 5, a shoe supporting arm 6, an ironer shoe "I, a tube 8, all of which are much the same as the corresponding elements previously described.

The present modication diifers from the forms of the invention earlier described in that the shoe is the shiftable member rather than the roll. The shoe-shifting mechanism which is Ahoused inside the gear case 3a is slightly different from the mechanisms previously described and, in order to accommodate the gearing of the present machine, it is necessary to use a gear case of slightly larger size than the gear cases previously described.

The gear case .,a is provided at one side with a hollow boss I0 for receiving one end of a tube 8 at the other end of which the shoe-supporting `arm 6 is carried. The operating mechanism of the machine is driven by a motor I I having a pulley I2 for driving a belt I3 which is connected to the driven mechanism pulley I4. The pulley I4 is iiXedly connected to a shaft I5 which carries a worm I5a in mesh with a worm gear I6. The worm gear I6 is provided with axially extending hub or sleeve portions I-Ba which cooperate With coiled clutch springs I'I and IB similar to those previously described.

The clutch spring I'I is fixed at one end to a shaft 20 which is journaled in a bearing sleeve 20a carried by the gear case boss 2Gb. One end of the clutch spring I8 is fixed with respect to an eccentric 2| which is also journaled on the sleeve 20a. The eccentric 2I is received in one end of a connecting rod 22a and at its other end the rod 22a is connected by means of a pin 8!) to a crank arm 8l. The other end of this crank arm is i'lxedly attached to one end of a torsion rod 82 and the opposite end of the torsion rod is fixedly connect-ed to the shoe-supporting arm 5 which is pivotally connected at 83 to the rear part of the shoe 1.

In view of the f-oregoing, it is apparent that when the eccentric 2l is rotated, it will serve to shift the shoe toward and away from the roll. The control of the movement of the eccentric is the same as for the ironer mechanisms previously described and it is operated to rotate in steps of 180 degrees, so that for one movement of the eccentric, the shoe is moved into pressing contact with the roll and for the other movement of the eccentric, the shoe is shifted away from the roll.

The roll is carried by a pair of bearing members 12a and 13a, journaled for movement on a roll supporting tube 36h which is rigid with the gear case 3a. An internal gear 43 is secured Yto the roll alongside of the bearing member` 13a. The shaft 20 projects outwardly from the gear case 3a and into th-e roll where it is provided with a pinion 25 similar to the gear 'of like `number previously described.

The shaft 2i! provides a mounting for a bracket 84 which is rotatably journaled on this shaft. The bracket is provided with a bearing pin 85 which forms a bearing 'for a second pinion 86 which meshes at all times with the Pinion 25. The pinion 86 is adapted for meshing engagement with the internal. gear 43. A. spring S7 is provided to urge the bracket 8a and the pinion 85 in a direction toward the adjacent portion of the internal gear 83. Beneath the shaft 29, the bracket 84 is provided with an angular extension 88 by means of which the pinion 86 is mechanically shifted into and out of meshing engagement with the internal gear 43.

The mechanism for accomplishing the shifting of the pinion 86 comprises a connecting link 9U which is pivotally connected at one end to the pin 80 and at its other end it is pivotally connected at 9| to a crank member 92 which is fixed to one end of a tubular shaft 93. The other end of the tubular shaft 93 is provided With a cam 94 which is adapted to be moved into and out of meshing engagement with the extension 88 of the pinion bracket. The tubular shaft 93 is journaled in a suitable bearing member 95 which may be formed integrally with the gear case 3a.

In view of the foregoing, it is apparent that when the shoe-shifting mechanism is operated to move the shoe into contact with the roll, the connecting rod 98 will be moved downwardly to the position shown in Figure 18, lifting the cam 94 out4 of contact with the extension 88 o-f the pinion bracket, thus permitting the pinion 86 to move under influence of the spring 81 into mesh with the internal roll gear 43.

The reaction lbetween the pinion 85 and the roll gear 4S tends to maintain these gears in meshing engagement with each other. When the shoe is shifted away from the roll, the lever 90 moves upwardly and rotates the cam 94 into engagement with the bracket extension 88, and in this manner, the pinion 86 is shifted out of meshing engagement with the internal gear 43 of the roll. Additional mechanism to permit the machine to Ibe used for pressing operations is provided for preventing at times the rotation of the roll when the shoe is moved into pressing contact therewith.

This mechanism comprises a manually operable control 96 located outside the gear case 3a and fixed to a shaft 91 which is pivotally mountedl inside the gear case. The shaft '91 is provided with a bracket 98 which is pivotally connected at 99 to a link |88 which in turn is pivotally connected at lill to a crank |82 which is xed with respect to one end of a shaft |03. The shaft |83 is journaled inside the tubular shaft 93 and at its opposite end it is provided with a cam |84 located alongside the cam 94.

The cam |84 is pinned at |85 to the shaft |03 and when the manual control 96 is moved downwardly, a corresponding movement of the cam |84 takes place and the cam is thus shifted into engagement with the extension 88 of the pinion supporting bracket, and in this manner, the pinion 86 may lbe prevented from meshing with the internal gear 43 under influence of the spring 81. When the manual control member 9B is moved to the position shown in Figure 18, the cam |84 is moved away from the extension 88 of the pinion bracket and the shifting of the pinion is controlled entirely by the cam 94 and the elements which are associated with this cam and with the shoe-shifting mechanism. The

control S6 and the parts associated with it are fitted so that there is sufficient friction to maintain the control 96 in its adjusted positions.

In the forms of the invention illustrated in Figures 7 to 16, where but one roll driving pinion is employed, it is necessary in order to drive the roll in the specified direction, to have the worm gear i8 rotate in the sameY direction that the roll is driven.

In addition to reversing the direction of rotation of the motor and the gearing in the gear case 3 in adapting the mechanism shown in to the modifications of the invention illustrated in Figures 7 to 16, it is also necessary\to reverse the' winding of the clutch springs ||A and I8 so that they will wrap around the portions: of the worm gear sleeve ||faI which they overlie, when the sleeve rotates in a clockwise direction, as viewed from the gear case end of the machine. This result could be accomplished by interchanging the clutch springs and i3. In the pre;

viously referred to application, of which the4 present application forms a continuation-inpart, the gearing inside the gear case is'arranged to rotate in a clockwise direction, as viewed from the gear case end of the machine, and as is necessary when the roll is driven by the type of gearing shown in Figures '7 to 16.

In all of the constructions described herein,

it is intended that the internal gear in the roll and its driving pinion mesh with each other at least partially, before the roll and shoe contact each other so that no substantial load is imposed on the gears at the instant of their engagement or disengagement. Because of this, the roll driving connection is effected in'a quiet manner and the speciiied arrangement has the further advantage of reducing wear on the ends of the gear teeth and thus preventing such portions of the gear teeth from-quickly becoming worn or broken. Y

The foregoing description and the accompanying drawings to which it relates, describes what might be termed the preferred modes of practicing the invention. It is to be clearly understood, however, that the invention includes each and every novel feature or combination of novel features herein disclosed, subject only to the restrictions of the prior art, and that the invention may assume other forms and-Vit isnot to be limited to the particular and specific structure shown and described herein.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is: f

1. An ironing machine comprising, cooperatingY ironing members mounted for relative shifting movement into and out of pressing contact one with the other, one of said members being a rotatably mounted roll, means for eifectingthe relative shifting movement of said ironing members, and power means for rotating said roll including a source of power and a disconnectible driving connection between said sourcev of power and said roll in the form of a driving and a driven gear located inside the roll and movable into and out of meshing engagement with each other, said driving gear mounted on a pivoted gear carrier, the pivotal axis of the gear carrier being located with'respect to the axis of rotation of the driving gear so that the coaction of th'e gears when in mesh tends to move the driving gear toward the driven gear,

2. An ironing machinefcomprising,y cooperating ironing members mounted for relative shifting movement into and out of pressing contact one with the other, one of said members being a rotatably mounted roll, means for effecting the relative shifting movement of said ironing members, and power means forrotating vsaidroll including a source of power and a disconnectible driving connection between said source of power and said roll in the form of adriving-and a driven gear located inside the roll and movable into and out of meshing engagement with' eachl other, one of said gears being rotatably mounted upon a support, said support being movably connection with the flrst'form ofthe inventionV mounted on a member below the axis of rotation of said last named gear.

3. An ironing machine comprising, cooperating ironing members mounted for relative shifting movement into and out of pressing contact one with the other, one of said members being a rotatably mounted roll, means for rotatably supporting said roll from a point substantially midway between its ends, means for effecting the relative shifting movement of said ironing members, and power means for rotating said roll including a source of power and a disconnectible driving connection between said source of power and said roll in the form of a driving and a driven gear inside the roll near the midpoint thereof and movable into and out of meshing engagement with each oth'er, one of said gears being rotatably mounted upon a yielding support to facilitate the meshing of the gears when they are moved into engagement with each other.

4. An ironing machine as defined in claim 3, in which the driven gear is fixed to and movable with the roll.

5. An ironer roll drive comprising a driving pinion inside th'e roll mounted for movement radially of the roll axis, an internal gear carried by the roll adapted for meshing engagement therewith, means for urging the pinion in a direction toward the internal gear, and power means for rotating the pinion and for shifting the roll and thereby shifting the internal gear into and out of meshing engagement with said pinion.

6. An ironing machine comprising, cooperating ironing members mounted for relative shifting movement into and out of pressing contact one with the other, one of said members being a rotatably mounted roll, means for effecting the relative shifting movement of said ironing members, and power means for rotating said roll including a source of power and a disconnectible driving connection between said source of power and saidr roll in the form of a driving and a driven gear located inside the roll, one of which is movable into and out of meshing engagement with the other, theY other of said gears being rotatably mounted upon a yielding support to facilitate the meshing of the gears when they are moved into engagement with each other.

7. An ironing machine comprising, cooperating ironing members mounted for relative shifting movement into and out of pressing contact one with the other, one of said members being a rotatably mounted roll, means for effecting the relative shifting movement of said ironing members, and power means for rotating said roll including a source of power and a disconnectible driving connection between said source of power and said roll in the form of a driving and a driven gear, said driven gear being secured inside said roll and movable therewith into and out of meshing engagement with said driving gear, said driving gear being rotatably mounted upon a yielding support to facilitate th'e meshing of the gears when they are moved into engagement with each other.

8. An ironing machine comprising, cooperating ironing-members mounted for relative shifting movement into and out of pressing contact one with the other, one of said members being a rotatably mounted roll, means for effecting the relative shifting movement of said ironing members, and power means for rotating said roll including a source of power and a disconnectible driving connection between said source of power and said roll in the form of a driving and a driven gear located insidethe roll, said. driven gear being fixed to saidroll' and movable therewith into and out of meshing engagement. with said driving gear, said driving gear being rotatably mounted upon a yielding support to facilitate the meshing of the gears when they are moved into engagement with each other.

9. An ironer roll drive of the type described, comprising a driving member, a driving pinion inside the roll, an internal gear carried by the roll and movable into and out of mesh with said pinion, means for laterally shifting said` roll toward said pinion, shaft and flexible coupling means for connecting said pinion to the driving member and means for mounting said pinion for bodily oscillatable movement about an axis below the axis of pinion rotation so that the force of drive will tend to move the pinion towards the internal gear.

10. An ironer roll drive of the type described comprising a driving shaft, a driving pinion inside of the roll, an internal gear carried by the roll and movable into and out of mesh with said pinion, power means for laterally shifting said roll, shaft and flexible coupling means forv connecting said pinion to the driving shaft, means for mounting said pinion for bodily shiftable movement and means to limit said bodily shiftable movement of the pinion toward the gear during their engagement.

11'. An ironer roll drive of the type described comprising a driving shaft, a driving pinion inside of the roll, an internal gear carried by the roll and movable into and out of mesh with said pinion, power means for laterally shifting said roll, shaft and flexible coupling means for connecting said pinion to the driving shaft, means for mounting said pinion for bodily shiftable movement and means to limit said bodily shiftable movement of the pinion toward thegear during their engagement, said last-named means comprising a member adjacent said pinion and a member adjacent said gear, said members adapted to contact each other when said pinion andgear are brought into engagement, said membersbeing proportioned to limit the teeth of the gear and pinion to a pitch line engagement.

12. In an ironing machine, a shoe, a roll, means for shifting the roll against and away from the shoe, an internal gear carried by the roll and movable therewith, a power shaft, a second shaft connected thereto by a flexible coupling, a pinion on said second shaft,4 said second shaft being biased to a position in which the pinion is in mesh with the internal gear when the roll is against the shoe.

13. An ironing machine comprising a supporting stand, a gear casing at one end'. of said stand, a roll support projecting laterally from said gear casing and a roll mounted on said support, an ironing shoe arranged to cooperate with said roll, said roll and its mounting comprising a cylindrical metal tube, a pair of spaced transverse plates arranged in the mid portion of said tube, a shaft mounted in said roll support having one end projecting into said gear casing and the other end thereof provided with an eccentric operatively associated with said plates, and power means connected to said one end of said shaft whereby rotation of the shaft and its eccentric effects a bodily movement of the roll with respect to said shoe.

14. An ironing machine comprisingI a supporting stand, a gear casing at one end of said stand,

a roll support projecting laterally from said gear casing and a roll mounted on said support, an ironing shoe arranged to cooperate with said roll, said roll and its mounting comprising a cylindrical metal tube, a pair of spaced transverse plates arranged in the mid portion of said tube, a shaft mounted in said roll support having one end projecting into said gear casing and the other end thereof .provided with an eccentric operatively associated with said plates, and power means connected to said one end of said shaft whereby rotation of the shaft and its eccentric eifects a bodily movement of the roll with respect to said shoe, and means to rotate said roll comprising a driven gear and a driving pinion arrangedinside said roll between said gear casing and said transverse plates.

15. In an ironing machine, a shoe, a roll, means for shifting the roll against and away from the shoe, an internal gear carried by the roll and movable therewith, a power shaft, a second shaft connected to said power shaft by a flexible coupling, a pinion on said second shaft, said second shaft being biased to a position in which the pinion is in mesh with the internal gear when the roll is against the shoe, and means including a slotted guideway arranged to mount said second shaft and the pinion for independent bodily movement.

16. In an ironing machine, a shoe, a roll support, a roll, means for shifting the roll against and away from the shoe, an internal gear carrled by the roll and movable therewith, a power shaft, a second shaft connected to said power shaft by a flexible coupling, a pinion on said second shaft, said second shaft being biased to a position in which the pinion is in mesh with the internal gear when the roll is carried against the shoe, a member provided with a slot carried by said roll support to mount said second shaft and pinion thereon for independent bodily movement, said member including a stop to limit the position of said pinion with respect to said gear.

17. In an ironing machine, a pair of ironing members one of which comprises a roll, one of said members being movable into and out of pressing engagement with the other, a driving connection for the roll comprising a driving gear and a driven gear, the driven gear being carried by the roll and being movable into and out of engagement with the driving gear by movement of the roll transverse to its axis, power means for shifting said movable ironing member into and out of pressing engagement with the other ironing member and for moving the roll transverse to its axis toward and away from said driving gear, and means for supporting one of said gears for yielding bodily movement under the tooth reaction forces present when the teeth are misaligned and independent of the position of said shifting means and away from the other gear upon operation of the shifting means to move the roll toward the driving gear.

18. In an ironing machine, a shoe, a hollow roll, a frame having driving means for rotating the roll, a tube projecting from said frame, said roll surrounding said tube, bearing means rotatably supporting the roll, said bearing means being eccentrically pivoted on the tube, and means extending through the tube for pivoting said bearing means on the tube whereby the roll is moved relative to the shoe.

19. In an ironing machine, a shoe, a roll, a tube projecting within the roll, a shaft journaled in the tube, a roll supporting bearing within the roll eccentric of the shaft and supported by the tube, and a connection between the shaft and bearing whereby the bearing rotates with and about the axis of the shaft to move the roll relative to the shoe.

20. In an ironer, a shoe, a hollow roll, a drive shaft extending axially within the roll, a driving gear within Ythe roll on the shaft, an internal gear Within and carried by the roll, said internal gear surrounding the driving gear and being movable into and out of mesh with the driving gear by bodily movement of the roll transverse to its axis and toward and away from the driving gear, means within the roll for supporting 'the roll for rotation and for said movement toward and away from the driving gear, shifting means for effecting engagement and separation of the roll and shoe and for moving the roll t0- ward and away from the driving gear, and means providing a yielding support for one of said gears permitting yielding movement thereof away from the other gear and independent of the position of the shifting means under the'tooth reaction forces whereby jamming of the gear teeth is prevented as the teeth are moved into mesh.

JOHN W. RACKLYEFT. 

